07/05/2026
This month marks 10 years of Foster Creative. I can't believe I'm writing that! To celebrate I’m looking back at 10 lessons I’ve learned along the way:
001. Start before you're ready. I launched with a one-page website and zero business experience, but waiting until I felt ready might have meant never starting.
002. Go at your own pace. I started the business just before my first daughter was born, so it was pretty slow at first. But I love that it grew alongside me, expanding to fit the phase of life I was in.
003. Define success on your own terms. Money and growth matter, but I also measure success in freedom - the time to walk to school pick-up or take a day off without asking permission.
004. People connect with people. I used to think running a small business meant acting ‘professional’. But people want to know who they're actually working with.
005. Your clients evolve as you do. Early on I wanted to work with startups (and I still love that energy). But my sweet spot has shifted to business owners several years in. They're motivated, committed and value the process.
006. The process is the product. Most clients arrive wanting a logo, but the process is where the real work happens. The questions and strategy conversations clarify their business in a way that’s much more valuable than a logo.
007. Make space for creativity. You can't do good work if you're overloaded or constantly scrolling. I try to protect the space for creative thinking by intentionally scheduling work and giving ideas time to percolate.
008. Find inspiration everywhere else first. The best design doesn't come from looking on Pinterest. It comes from art, nature, books, a walk. Divergent research leads to interesting outcomes.
009. It all starts with an idea. Early on, I focussed on making things look good. But now everything needs a unifying concept that pulls it together and makes it mean something. Uncovering that is the hardest and best part.
010. Never stop learning. Writing this list was fun, but business is always a work in progress, and there are many lessons I’m still working on (letting go of doing everything myself comes to mind!).
Here's to ten more years!
